euphorbia

noun eu·phor·bia \ yü-ˈfȯr-bē-ə \

|Updated on: 28 Apr 2018

Definition of euphorbia

: any of a large genus (Euphorbia) of herbs, shrubs, and trees of the spurge family that have a milky juice and flowers lacking a calyx and included in an involucre which surrounds a group of several staminate flowers and a central pistillate flower with 3-lobed pistils; broadly : spurge

Recent Examples of euphorbia from the Web

Between the outcroppings lie swampy valleys, or vleis, fed by rainwater runoff and rich in acacias, mopanis, figs, euphorbias and other vegetation.

— joshua hammer, New York Times, "A Birder’s Paradise in Zimbabwe," 18 Apr. 2018
Plants especially susceptible to fasciation include ferns, willow trees, delphiniums, foxgloves, forsythia, euphorbias, lilies, primulas and verbascums such as the mullein.

— margaret lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Some non-native weeds flourish in Idaho," 31 May 2017
But the Old World has plenty of euphorbia plants that look and behave like cactuses, the result of evolutionary convergence on an optimal toolbox for a difficult trade.

— natalie angier, New York Times, "As Rains Ease in the West, Cactuses Shine Brighter Than Ever," 24 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'euphorbia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of euphorbia

New Latin, alteration of Latin euphorbea, from Euphorbus, 1st century a.d. Greek physician

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

euphorbia

noun eu·phor·bia \ yu̇-ˈfȯr-bē-ə \

medical Definition of euphorbia

1 : a large genus of plants of the spurge family that have a milky juice and flowers included in an involucre which surrounds a group of several staminate flowers and a central pistillate flower and that include a number which have been used medicinally

2 : any plant of the genus Euphorbia; also : any of various other plants that belong to the spurge family